The acquisition and processing of signals from industrial processes form the basis for central real-time evaluation and the support of analytical and diagnostic functionalities both in situ and at a distance from the respective process. The latter is significant in particular for services of an equipment manufacturer such as, for example, remote monitoring and remote diagnostics.
The processes in question occur in industrial equipment which is generally composed of a plurality of equipment components which are usually spatially distributed. The processes in question are controlled and/or regulated by way of at least one automation device. The signals which are to be acquired and processed may originate from a very wide variety of sources and are present in any desired and different form, for example analog, binary, numerical, as video signals and/or as variable physical parameters.
A suitable method and a device for carrying out such a method for acquiring and processing signals must pick up signals from a large number of sources, it being possible for the spatial distribution of the sources to be very extensive. A suitable method must sense measuring signals precisely with continuously high quality and at the same time also be able to support high sampling rates. Easy and rapid activation with a low degree of complexity of wiring and configuration, as well as ease of operation, comparable with the “plug and play” principle, are expected from a corresponding device.
Especially if the individual partial processes of an industrial process are spatially distributed over a wide area, methods and devices for acquiring and processing signals from industrial processes are known which are implemented by way of individual, different partial methods and devices with respectively different performance spectrums and characteristics or by integration into existing control systems, or both.